Lock arrangement for box car doors

ABSTRACT

A lock arrangement for locking the sliding door of a box car includes a keeper element mounted on a stationary portion of the box car side adjacent the door opening. The keeper is of a type which includes a socket for receiving the cam end of a hasp, the hasp being attached to a portion of the door for swinging movement. The keeper includes a housing through which a wedge element may be driven for securely attaching the cam hasp end to the keeper. The improved hasp of the present invention includes a conventional slot at one end thereof through which a hinge pin projects from the door. At one end of the hasp adjacent the slot there are provided ramps which extend from the flat surface of the hasp in inclined relation outwardly to merge with a flat surface provided by an enlarged rim formed at the end of the hasp. The hinge pin connection to the hasp end also includes an enlarged head. As the hasp is longitudinally moved toward the keeper, the head engages the ramps in camming relation whereby the hasp then is drawn inwardly adjacent to and in contiguous relation with respect to the door to which the pin is connected.

United States Patent [191' Schuller [451 July 29, 1975 [5 LOCKARRANGEMENT FOR BOX CAR [57] ABSTRACT DOORS A lock arrangement forlocking the sliding door of a {75] inventor. James schuner, creterml boxcar includes a keeper element mounted on a stationary portion of the boxcar side adjacent thedoor [73] Assignee: Pullman Incorporated,Chicago,111. Opening The keeper is f a type which includes a t [22]Filed: Sept. 23, 1974 socket for receiving the cam end of a hasp, thehasp Appl. No.: 508,500

Primary ExaminerRichard E. Moore Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Richard J.Myers being attached to a portion of the door for swinging movement. Thekeeper includes a housing through which a wedge element may be drivenfor securely attaching the cam hasp end to the keeper. The improved pinconnection to the hasp end also includes an en- I larged head. As thehasp is longitudinally moved toward the keeper, the head engages theramps in camming relation whereby the hasp then is drawn inwardlyadjacent to and incontiguous relation with respect to the door to whichthe pin is connected.

5 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures PATENTEU JUL29 197s mm mm mm VIE w mm m mmF3 EOFE LOCK ARRANGEMENT'YFO-R BOX CAR DOORS CROSS-REFERENCE TO'RELATEDAPPLICATION The present application is related to 'U.S'. Pat.application Ser. No. 334,522, filedFeb. 22;l973, now ULS. Patent No.,3,869,162 issued Mar.4, I975.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION l. Field of'the Invention "The .presentinvention relates to" railway cars, and more particularly to lockingmechanisms for locking a sliding door in position over a door opening.

2. Description of the PriorArt The prior art is well disclosed in US.Nos. 2,788,995, Apr. 16, 1957; 3,045,295, July 24, 1962 and 3,279,839,Oct. 18,1966. The prior art is also disclosed in one of the figures ofthe drawing.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention is concerned with alocking mechanism for the' locking of a sliding door to the carsideiirthe closed position. The invention, however, is equallyapplicable to the interlocking of a pair of sliding doors which might bedisposed over a large door opening and which might be individuallyopened relative to eachother. In the present invention a keeper ismountedon the door frame adjacent the door, the said keeper'includingupper and lower housing mem-bers which are apertured to receive a wedgewhich is driven vertically downwardly through the apertures for thepurpose of locking the cam end of a lock hasp in positionhThe keeperalso includes a socket portion at one endthereof whichreceives the camend of a hasp wedgingly locked in position, as described.

The present improvement is concerned with the end of a hasp whichisswingably connected to a pin projecting outwardly from the car door.The present hasp includes an elongated slot, at a terminal end, which isformed in a flat portion of thehasp, the said hasp flat portion alsohaving a peripherally extending rim projecting laterally with respect tothe flat end substantially about the extent of the hasp. The slotted endof the hasp is also provided with apair of diagonally extending orsloping ramps which extend from the flat portion of the hasp outwardlyto the level of the surrounding rim. As the hasp is locked in positionon the keeper, it is moved longitudinally and an enlarged head portionof the pin thereby slides on the ramps forcing the end of the haspinwardly to provide a substantially close or contiguous location of theend of the hasp relative to the car door. This provides a much improvedand more favorable loading condition on the hasp pin which therebyprevents breakage and reduces maintenance.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. I is a side elevational view of aportion of a box car side of a railway car having an improved door andlock arrangement;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged side elevational view of a locking arrangement;

FIG. 3 is a cross sectional view taken substantially along the line 3-3of FIG. 2'.

FIG. 4 is a cross sectional view in an enlarged form taken substantiallyalong the line of 4-4 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a cross sectional elevational view similar to FIG. 4, showinga prior art arrangement.

' A railway car side 10, as shown in FIG. 1, includes a door opening 11defined by horizontally spaced vertical door posts 12 connected by a topplate 13. A side sill 14 defines the lower extent of the door opening 11and is at approximately the same level as the box car floor (not shown).A sliding door 15 is shown in FIG. 1 inthe closed position over the dooropening 11. The sliding door 15 can be of conventional design of a typewhich is usually supported on a track (not shown) mounted below the sidesill and which is moved on said track horizontally to one side of thedoor opening. Since the aforementioned is well known in the art, furtherdisclosure is not believed .necessary.

The door 15 includes vertical door sheathing l6 suitably supported onvertical door frame members 17. A door locking mechanism is generallydesignated at 18 and includes a keeper 19 positioned on a side wall 10adjacent the door opening 11. The keeper 19 comprises a housing 20having upper and lower wedge receiving chambers 21 and 21, the samebeing of channel shape and being separated by a front hasp receivingentry slot 23. The housing 20 also includes a hasp cam receiving pocket24 provided in an enlarged housing portion 25 suitably connected to thehousing 20.

As best shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the door 15 is provided with avertically extending edge seal element 26 which engages portions of thevertical edges of one of the door posts 12. A hasp 27, as best shown inFIGS. 2 and 3, includes a flat body portion 28 having at its outer edgesraised rim sides 29 and at its end, an end rim portion 30. The flat bodyportion 28 includes an elongated slot 31 through which a pin 32 extendsfrom the vertical door frame member 17. The pin 32 includes an enlargedflat head 33 confining the hasp end to its connection with the pin 32.As best shown in FIG. 2, the hasp end adjacent the raised rim portion isprovided with inclined ramps 34 and 35 disposed on opposite side of theslot 31 and extending to the associated raised rim sides 29. The rearface of the rim 30 is also provided with a beveled edge 36. The hasp 27is provided with a hasp cam end 37 having on one side thereof, as bestshown in FIG. 3, a cam surface 38. The cam end 37, as shown in FIG. 3,is in a secure closed position in the cam receiving pocket 24. It isrigidly secured within said pocket by means of a wedge 39 having a headportion 40, a shank 41 and a cam surface 42. The wedge 39 may be securedin the wedged position within the wedge receiving chambers 21 and 22 byapplying a hammer blow to the head portion 40. In its locked positionthe wedge 39 has engaged the cam surface 38 in wedging relation to thusrigidly secure the cam 37 within the pocket 24.

The hasp also includes a downwardly projecting apertured tab 43 providedwith an opening 44 which is in the closed position in registry with aslot 45 provided in the lower chamber 22. The openings through which thewedge 39 is driven within the chambers 21 and 23 is designated at 22'.The slot 45 and opening 44 may be used for the insertion of a suitablelocking means such as a car seal or other type of lock.

THE OPERATION FIG. 1 discloses a door in the closed position with thelocking mechanism secured. In the drawing the locking mechanism issupported on the box car side 10, but the mechanism can equally beapplied to a pair of adjacent doors of the sliding type, if desired. Inthe locking operation the wedge 39 has been removed from the housing 20.The hasp is then rotated to the horizontal position shown in FIG. 2 andis moved through the slot 23 into position wherein the hasp cam end 37is disposed in the pocket 24. in the securement of the cam in the pocket37, the wedge 39 is driven vertically downwardly by the operator andduring this operation the hasp 27 is moved horizontally, whereupon thehead 33 rides on the inclined ramps 34 and 35, in turn moving the haspend laterally inwardly toward the door post 17 and substantially in aclose and contiguous relation. The head 33 remains supported on theramps and thus the hasp end is secured against outward lateral movementrelative to the door. The particular location of the hasp end isimportant in that the type of construction as shown in FIG. of the priorart provides for a looseness relative to the pin 32 and head 33 to suchan extent that the pin may easily be bent or broken or the hasp end maybe deformed during operation. By securing the hasp end in the positionshown in FIGS. 2, 3 and 4, the same is avoided since a much morefavorable stress and loading condition is provided on the hasp pin whenthe wedge is driven into position. Thus, maintenance is avoided and aneffective lock is provided.

What is claimed is:

1. In a railway car side having a door opening, a device for locking asliding door in a closed position over said opening, comprising:

a keeper including a housing mounted on said side adjacent said dooropening, said housing having upper and lower vertically aligned open endwedge receiving chambers.

said portions being separated by a horizontal hasp receiving entry slotterminating at one end in a hasp cam receiving pocket and said slotbeing open at its other end, the improvement comprising:

7 a hasp including a relatively flat body terminating at one end in anenlarged cam having a tapering cam surface,

said cam in the closed and locked position of said door being seated insaid hasp cam receiving pocket with a portion of said hasp body beingdisposed in said entry slot,

a wedge locking pin seated within said chambers and including a bevelportion in said locked position engaging said tapering cam,

said wedge pin being adapted to be vertically forced into and out ofseated relation with respect to said chambers,

said hasp body including at its other end a slot,

a connecting pin rigidly secured to said second door and projectingoutwardly from said second door through said slot,

said pin having an enlarged head disposed outwardly over said slot andsaid slot permitting limited horizontal movement of said hasp relativeto said pin,

said hasp having a flat surface adjacent said slot,

said surface terminating in ramp portion means, with said ramp portionmeans extending from said flat surface diagonally outwardly relative tovertical plane of said door whereby during horizontal movement of saidhasp relative to said pin during wedging locking of said hasp by saidwedge pin,

said head of said pin engages said inclined ramp portion means therebyforcing said hasp end adjacent said slot inwardly into substantiallycontiguous relation relative to said door.

2. The invention in accordance with claim 1, said ramp portion meansincluding ramps on opposite sides of said slot and terminating in aterminal end of relatively thick cross section in comparison to saidupper and lower flat portion.

3. The invention in accordance with claim 1, said flat body of said hasphaving a peripherally extending raised rim between which said slot iscentrally positioned, said ramps extending from said flat bodydiagonally to the height of said raised rim.

4. The invention in accordance with claim 1, said hasp having aperipherally extending raised rim. including side and end rim portions,

said end rim portion having a beveled edge portion on a side facing saiddoor.

5. The invention in accordance with claim 4, said ramps terminating atthe side rim portions.

1. In a railway car side having a door opening, a device for locking asliding door in a closed position over said opening, comprising: akeeper including a housing mounted on said side adjacent said dooropening, said housing having upper and lower vertically aligned open endwedge receiving chambers, said portions being separated by a horizontalhasp receiving entry slot terminating at one end in a hasp cam receivingpocket and said slot being open at its other end, the improvementcomprising: a hasp including a relatively flat body terminating at oneend in an enlarged cam having a tapering cam surface, said cam in theclosed and locked position of said door being seated in said hasp camreceiving pocket with a portion of said hasp body being disposed in saidentry slot, a wedge locking pin seated within said chambers andincluding a bevel portion in said locked position engaging said taperingcam, said wedge pin being adapted to be vertically forced into and outof seated relation with respect to said chambers, said hasp bodyincluding at its other end a slot, a connecting pin rigidly secured tosaid second door and projecting outwardly from said second door throughsaid slot, said pin having an enlarged head disposed outwardly over saidslot and said slot permitting limited horizontal movement of said hasprelative to said pin, said hasp having a flat surface adjacent saidslot, said surface terminating in ramp portion means, with said rampportion means extending from said flat surface diagonally outwardlyrelative to vertical plane of said door whereby during horizontalmovement of said hasp relative to said pin during wedging locking ofsaid hasp by said wedge pin, said head of said pin engages said inclinedramp portion means thereby forcing said hasp end adjacent said slotinwardly into substantially contiguous relation relative to said door.2. The invention in accordance with claim 1, said ramp portion meansincluding ramps on opposite sides of said slot and terminating in aterminal end of relatively thick cross section in comparison to saidupper and lower flat portion.
 3. The invention in accordance with claim1, said flat body of said hasp having a peripherally extending raisedrim between which said slot is centrally positioned, said rampsextending from saiD flat body diagonally to the height of said raisedrim.
 4. The invention in accordance with claim 1, said hasp having aperipherally extending raised rim, including side and end rim portions,said end rim portion having a beveled edge portion on a side facing saiddoor.
 5. The invention in accordance with claim 4, said rampsterminating at the side rim portions.